Two free apps announced today increase your options for making low-cost calls via your iPhone or iPod touch. goober VoIP is like Skype in that it can use the data capability of your iPhone via WiFi or 3G to make telephone calls. But the rate is 1 cent per minute compared to Skype's 2.1 cents per minute for calls in the U.S. and Canada. International calls are around 1.4 cents per minute. The first two minutes of any call are free, and you get 100 free minutes when you first sign up. Unlike Skype, though, goober doesn't let you make free calls device-to-device, but they say that feature is coming soon.

goober's instant-messaging app, simply called goober, not only lets you send instant messages, but also gives you access to Goober Webfolder — which is sort of a virtual hard drive. You can use your iPhone to upload files and images, and you can view them in your Webfolder via your iPhone.

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Jim Karpen holds a Ph.D. in literature and writing, and has a love of gizmos. His doctoral dissertation focused on the revolutionary consequences of digital technologies and anticipated some of the developments taking place in the industry today. Jim has been writing about the Internet and technology since 1994 and has been using Apple's visionary products for decades.